Main Attractions

*The paths of the Boulevard de la Grotte and the Pont St. Michel both lead you to the Cite Religieuse. Every evening a candlelit procession travels from the Esplanade des Processions along to the Esplanade du Rosaire, where the blessing of the sick takes place.

*The Grotte de Massabielle is a cave measuring 10 x 12m and is where the Virgin appeared to Bernadette.

*The Church of St Pie X is an underground church which can seat 20,000 worshippers.

When to go

Each year 5 million tourists visit Lourdes, so in peak season it can be very unpleasant and overcrowded. Lourdes in summer is very warm and July and August are the busiest months and winters often see snow.

How to get there

The closest airports are Tarbes (10 km) and Pau (40 km). From these airports you can then take shuttles into town and catch trains to Lourdes. There are direct rail connections Paris via Nantes and Bordeaux, and other services from most major cities in France.

Lourdes is best explored by foot as it is quite small and a lot of it is pedestrianised.

Visa information

American Citizens do not need a visa when they travel to France for business or for personal travel, however the stay must not exceed 90 days. The same applies for British, Canadian and Australian citizens.

Tipping

Unlike in America, cafes and restaurants in Paris and the rest of France directly include a 15 percent service charge in your check. This is required by French law as tips are assessed for taxation purposes.